YOGYAKARTA TRAVEL GUIDE 2018 | Things to Do in Yogyakarta 2018

YOGYAKARTA TRAVEL GUIDE 2018 | Things to Do in Yogyakarta | All right, let me start this with a little narrative that requires your five-minute attention span. If you can’t stomach a little storytelling, you can simply skip the first part and proceed to the next where the usuals—ranging from how to get to Yogyakarta and what to do in Yogyakarta—are answered.

Our story started with a lesson on pronunciation and holiday traffic: first, it is Jogja or Jogjakarta for the locals—a little trick in replacing the y sound with j; and second, negotiating with locals in Jakarta’s Pulo Gadung Bus Terminal could be trickier than pronouncing our destination: we waited for eight hours for a VIP bus that never arrived. To compensate, we were spared two seats in a cramped bus. There was chaotic holiday traffic by the bus window.

Sixteen hours later, we arrived in this central Java city facing the Indian Ocean.

Our arrival was a welcome respite. Sleep, more than anything else, was what we needed the most.

Our energies recharged, we joined a throng of holiday travelers in Jalan Malioboro, a major shopping district in the city, not to shop but to indulge in palatable pleasure. Our favorite place was the varied lesehan, open-air restaurants, that existed along the streets at night. We feasted on the variations of goreng and sambal.

We never lost sight of the reason why we were here in Jogja before heading to Mt. Bromo. We were here to be awed by the beauty and grandeur of the temples: Borobudur and Prambanan.

We were not disappointed. At all.

There was something to be said about temples. There was something to be said about Borobudur and Prambanan. Both were built in the 9th century. One is Buddhist, the other Hindu. It might be because of dynastic rivalry that these two coexisted in the same city. Borobudur was built by the Sailendra Dynasty, an advocate of Mahayana Buddhism; Pramban by Sanjaya Dynasty. From the perspective of a 21st century traveler from a Catholic country, these living testaments of two religions were nothing short of ironic and fascinating—Buddhist and Hindu temple in a country home to the largest Muslim population in the world. As a consequence, they were under threat of terrorism attacks by Muslim extremists.

These two temples, which made it into the sacred list of UNESCO heritage sites, shared some things in common.

Their stacks are divided into three realms that represent their respective cosmology and ideology.
We were and are still in the stage of Bhurloka in Hinduism, Kāmadhātu in Buddhism—the world of desires. We might die trying to reach the second stage: Bhuvarloka or Rupadhatu—the world of holy people and of glimpsing the light of truth. Svarloka or Arupadhatu is the gods’ world where the most sacred bathed in enlightenment.

But this knowledge was beyond us.

Wide-eyed, we walked Borobudur’s nine stacks, inspecting some narratives written on its 2,670 individual bas-reliefs. In Prambanan, we entered and exited several doors, without knowing that the narrative panels depicting two ancient Hindu literature, Ramayana and Bhāgavata Purāṇa, should be read from left to right—midst the crowd, we looked at how the sun glazed honey-like yellow on Prambanan’s tall walls.

Two places. One sunrise. One sunset. Two human beings. Countless beautiful moments unfolding before us. At Once.

PART II: YOGYAKARTA TRAVEL GUIDE 2018 | How to Get to Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Depending where you want to start your Indonesian trip, your Point A can be varying. In this case, I’m going to have Bali and Jakarta as Point A.

Option 1: How to Get to Yogyakarta from Jakarta by Plane

This is the most comfortable option you have. The flight only lasts for an hour and ten minutes. The best way to get to the airport and leave the airport is by Bluebird Taxi. Bluebird Taxi is the most trusted and honest taxi company you can find all over Indonesia. The drivers are polite and honest. The meter is accurate. The cost is about $15. Grab and Uber are now available in Indonesia as well. So whatever floats your boat. But we’re talking about comfort here, which we didn’t think of in our younger traveling years. Tsk. We did the uncomfortable Option 3.

There are two types of trains servicing the Jakarta-Yogyakarta route. The cheaper option, which is the business and economy class trains, depart from Pasar Senen station; while the executive trains—the more expensive ones—leave from Gambir. What’s the main difference between the two? The number of stops, primarily. The cheaper ones have more stops than the expensive one. But the service is quite the same. Locals highly suggest that you take the day train. It is a long ride and you might as well enjoy the view. The views in the countryside Java is picturesque and relaxing.

Option 3: How to Get to Yogyakarta from Jakarta by Bus

Our trip lasted for a month. We started in Jakarta and bused our way to Yogyakarta. On a holiday. We started our journey three days before Christmas, thinking it would not be a hectic holiday in Indonesia—which is a widely Muslim country. But to our surprise, they have a certain holiday, Cuti Bersama, on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day is also declared a holiday. So be warned. Traveling on a holiday by train or bus can be stressful. The train was packed, which left us with bus options coz the flight tickets skyrocketed. With the holiday traffic, the bus ride lasted for sixteen hours in total. If you’re traveling on non-holidays, you can simply pop in at Giwangan Bus Terminal and book your ticket. But if your trip happens to be on holiday, book your tickets in advance. You can either do it online or go to a trusted travel agency or go to the terminal. We did the last option.

How to get to Yogyakarta from Bali by Plane

Well, since Bali is an island next to Java, the best option you have is to fly from Bali to Yogyakarta. Luckily, there are eight flights from Bali to Yogyakarta and vise versa. We did bus our way from Malang to Bali. I will write a different travel guide for that. After our short stay in Yogyakarta, we traveled to Malang and Mt Bromo.

PART III: Where to Stay in Yogyakarta

Depending on your budget and the location you want to be in, Yogyakarta has a lot of comfortable, quirky, and creative accommodation.

OPTION 1. NEAR MALIOBORO ROAD | This is the ideal location. Malioboro Road is a lively place and has a lot of activities around. You can hop from one restaurant to the next or visit galleries after the other. There is a bustling night market you can check out as well.

PART IV: How to Get Around Yogyakarta

The most comfortable way of getting around is using Grab, Uber, and Go-Jek. These apps are gaining popularity in Indonesia. Go-jek is the country’s local version of the global Uber and Asian-wide Grab. With Go-jek, you can order food and have it delivered to your place. Yes, it can do errands for you.

When it comes to taxis, Citra and Bluebird are the most trusted in the city.

Renting a motorbike is also possible. We did this. We simply asked our host to link us up to a local that rents out a motorbike.

PART V: Things to Do in Yogyakarta

Now this is quite a read. It is pretty long.

A. YOGYAKARTA TRAVEL GUIDE | Temples and Curiosities in Yogyakarta You Must Experience

Visiting the Unesco World Heritage sites was our main reason we visited Yogyakarta in the first place.

1. Borobudur Temple is one of the grandest Buddhist temples I’ve seen so far. Better experience this place either early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the light casts beautiful silhouettes and shadows on the storied walls.

Entrance Fee: US$22/Rp 325,000 for adult non-Indonesians. US$10/Rp 190,000 for non-Indonesian registered students (proof, e.g. ISIC or university card is required).
Mode of Payment: You can either pay by credit card or cash.

2. Prambanan Temple, a Hindu temple, was built in the same century as the Borobudor Temple, out of rivalry, I supposed. Go read the narrative above. 😛
Entrance Fee: US$18

TIP: If you intend to visit both Borobudor and Prambanan, better buy the combo ticket. A combo ticket costs $30 while if you buy individual tickets for the two, it adds up to $38.00

3. Ratu Boko Palace might not be as grand as either Borobudor or Prambanan Temple, but it is worth a visit. The best time to visit is sunset time. But if your budget is kinda tight, then you might have to drop this one in your list.
ENTRANCE FEE: $25 for adult foreigners

via http://www.yogya-backpacker.com/

4. Ullen Sentalu Museum is a great place if you want to have an educational adventure and know more about Yogyakarta’s history, culture, and quirkiness.
ENTRANCE FEE: IDR 30 000.00 | 2.25USD

5. Malioboro Street is a great place to walk around. There are many things to see and experience. The road has a lot of interesting sculptures you can check out as well. From shops to street food, from horse-riding to expensive restaurants, you can find them all by Malioboro Road.

6. Watu Giring, a remnant of stone mining, becomes a popular destination among local travelers. The mining area looks like ruins of a fallen empire.

via https://www.thewisata.com/

7. Seribu Batu Songgo Langit is a place that is going to transport you to the mystical worlds. Be it the Hobbit or the curiously shaped houses, this place is for the kid in you.

via http://www.dakatour.com/

8. Pinus Pengger (Hutan Pinus Dingo) makes you feel inspired. Twigs are transformed into different sculptures from a romantic nest to a gigantic hand.

via http://www.petaniadv.com/

B. YOGYAKARTA TRAVEL GUIDE | Things to Do in Yogyakarta for the Adrenaline Junkie

5. Curug Pulosari is a quick getaway from the city. Its drop has a natural pool where you can take a dip.
Address: Curug Pulosari, Krebet, Sendangsari, Pajangan, Sendangsari, Bantul, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta 55751
From Malioboro Road: 41 mins

8. Batu Miring is one of the perfect places in Yogyakarta to witness the sunrise. That being said, it is ideal to visit this place early in the morning.
Address: Can’t find the coordinates on Google Maps
From Malioboro Road: It says it takes an hour and twenty minutes

9. Bukit Klangon, Merapi is another hiking and camping destinations. Local come here with packed food and tent and spend the night stargazing. In the morning, the volcano provides a lovely backdraft.
Address: Bukit Klangon, Glagaharjo, Cangkringan, Sleman Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta 55583
From Malioboro Road: 1 hr and 15 mins

via jogjaspace.com

10. Gedangsari Green Village is the place to be if you love ziplining and communing with nature.
Address: Green Village Gedangsari, Mertelu, Gedang Sari, Mertelu, Gedang Sari, Kabupaten Gunung Kidul, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta 55863, Indonesia
From Malioboro Road: 1 hr and 30 mins

via http://sewamobiljogja.my.id/

11. Timang Beach is not for swimming but for the adrenaline junkie in you. People come here for one thing alone, and that is to ride the fragile-looking and old-school “gondola.” You pedal your way to the islet and back with the raging waters meters away from lapping you.

Yogyakarta is not really known for its beaches when you have Lombok and some parts of Bali. We haven’t been to any of these places, but with research done for this looooong Yogyakarta travel guide, there are some beaches worth visiting for some dips and laps.

1. Wedi Ombo Beach is not know for its neverending shoreline but for its tidal lagoons. This is a great place for a swim without the waves swallowing you up.
Address: Wediombo Beach, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia
From Malioboro Road: 2 hrs and 1 5 mins

via http://www.brobali.com

2. Wohkudu Beach is a little secret cove sandwiched between cliffs. I don’t think it is great for swimming, but it can be an awesome place for some camping adventure by the beach.
Address: Pantai Wohkudu, Dukuh Wiroso, Girikarto, Panggang, Girikarto, Panggang, Kabupaten Gunung Kidul, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta 55893, Indonesia
From Malioboro Road: 1 hr and 30 mins

via panoramio.com

3. Kukup Beach is the place to be if you want some nice time on the beach. This place is popular among local tourists.
Address: Kukup Beach, Jl. Pantai Selatan Jawa, Kemadang, Tanjungsari, Gunungkidul, Special Region of Yogyakarta 55000
From Malioboro Road: 1 hr and 40 mins

5. Parangtritis Beach is the place for sunset lovers. With its wide stretch of fine black coastline, you have a spacious place to explore.
Address: Parangtritis Beach, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia
From Malioboro Road: 1 hr

via Wikitravel

6. Watulawang, Gunungkidul is quite far from Malioboro, but it is a great place for salt-water lovers.
Address: Pulau Watulawang, Sidoharjo, Tepus, Gunung Kidul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta
From Malioboro Road: 2 hrs

Watu Lawang, Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta

via http://www.tuguwisata.com

7. Ngrenehan Beach is the beach I wish we visited when we were in Yogyakarta. It looks small, inviting, and peaceful.
Address: Ngrenean Beach, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia
From Malioboro Road: 1 hr and 50 mins

Ngrenehan Beach, Yogyakarta

via http://amriholiday.blogspot.com

8. Jogan Beach is spectacular for one good reason. A waterfall directly drops to the raging sea. During low tide, you can take a show right under the waterfall.
Address: Pantai Jogan, Jalan Pantai Siung, Purwodadi, Tepus, Purwodadi, Tepus, Kabupaten Gunung Kidul, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta 55881
From Malioboro Road: 2 hrs and 20 mins

via http://jotuindonesia.com/

9. Klayar Beach is pretty far from the center of Yogyakarta. But if you are up for some adventurous road trip and an awesome dip in its wondrous waters, then definitely it is worth the drive.
Address: Klayar Beach, Kalak, Sendang, Donorojo, Sendang, Donorojo, Kabupaten Pacitan, Jawa Timur 63554
From Malioboro Road: 3 hours

via Panoramio.com

10. Siung Beach is about 75 kms away from the heart of Yogyakarta. It is part of a different province. But if you are up for some adventure, nothing is going to stop you from doing it. Better yet, pack a tent and camp out for the night.
Address: Siung Beach, Purwodadi, Tepus, Gunung Kidul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta
From Malioboro Road: 2 hours and 15 mins

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